Our EmTech Law Blog provides timely legal and business information on issues impacting companies developing or investing in new technologies, new companies, and new ideas.
On this episode, Babst Calland Attorneys Nicholas Faas, Ember Holmes and Audra Hutter discuss the different kinds of cybersecurity threats facing companies. 
All the key topics include:
Attorney Justine Kasznica would be the first to admit that she moved to Pittsburgh to take a chance on an apparent regional business renaissance driven by a promising technology sector. Over time, the region hasn’t disappointed.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in this region and to be an attorney working with emerging technologies,” said Kasznica, who quickly would find her way into the center of Pittsburgh’s technology universe and help drive significant industry growth as part of a flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem here. …
In this episode of the Babst Calland Emerging Tech Law Podcast Series, Justine M. Kasznica, Esq., Shareholder and Chair, Emerging Technologies Group, details the inaugural 2022 Keystone Space Collaborative Conference that kicks off April 20th with the theme “Building Bridges; Breaking Barriers.”
The Keystone Space Collaborative represents the Tri-State region’s (PA, OH, WV) space industry and community and values making space more accessible for all who want to learn and understand what commercial space represents for the nation and humankind. …
On March 21, 2022, President Biden issued a statement in response to evolving intelligence that Russia is exploring options for malicious cyberattacks against the United States. The statement highlights the measures taken by the Administration to strengthen cyber defenses within the federal government and, to the extent that it has authority, within critical infrastructure sectors. Additionally, President Biden called on private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators to accelerate and enhance their cybersecurity measures, urging them to take advantage of public-private partnerships and initiatives, including those administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). …
This episode of the Babst Calland Emerging Tech Podcast features Dane Fennell and Chris Farmakis discussing how the firm uses artificial intelligence (AI) for due diligence.
Learn about some of the typical types of projects into which law firms can implement AI applications and how AI can reduce risk and human error on critical projects. Plus, discover the benefits on the client side of AI and due diligence when it comes to budget certainty and faster results. …
Small-business owners have many roles to fill–from managing payrolls and marketing to customer service. But one area many small-business owners fail to plan for is their company’s cybersecurity.
According to a recent Small Business Administration survey, 88% of small-business owners feel their business was vulnerable to a cyberattack. Experts warn that small businesses, including those in West Virginia, are under constant attack by cybercriminals, be it from local, national or global actors. …
On this episode of the Emerging Tech Podcast Series, we talk to Justine Kasznica and Ashleigh Krick of Babst Calland’s Emerging Technologies Group about the latest cybersecurity threats centered on the energy industry.
Get more insights on the recent high-profile cyber-attacks, including Colonial Pipeline and JBS Foods and the aftermath of those. This discussion will reference Congressional and TSA action on pipeline cybersecurity. We will also talk about what steps businesses can be taking to address cybersecurity. …
On August 13, 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-020) into crashes with in-road or roadside first responders involving Tesla vehicles where Autopilot was confirmed to have been engaged during the approach to the crash. NHTSA cites to 11 crashes involving emergency vehicles that involved 17 total injuries and 1 fatality. The earliest cited crash is the January 22, 2018, crash in Culver City, California, where a Tesla Model S rear-ended a firetruck parked along a California freeway. …
In this episode of the Emerging Tech Podcast Series, Justine Kasznica and Ashleigh Krick of Babst Calland’s Emerging Technologies Group talk to Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council about the latest investment trend in energy as reported from the 2021 Babst Calland Energy Report.
They discuss how public government funding is driving investment in emerging energy technologies like energy storage and hydrogen. …
On August 5, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks (Executive Order). The White House signing event included American automakers Ford, GM, and Stellantis, as well as the United Auto Workers (UAW), demonstrating support for the president’s Build Back Better agenda and investment in U.S. leadership in electric vehicles and batteries, manufacturing, and jobs. In conjunction with the signing of this Executive Order, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced coordinated notices of proposed rulemaking that are intended to roll back the previous administration’s emissions and fuel economy regulations. …
“With the pandemic, our clients suddenly cared a lot about whether their contracts included a force majeure provision, what it said, what it meant and how it could be interpreted,” says Attorney Kate Cooper, shareholder at Babst Calland.
Kate Cooper spoke with Smart Business about force majeure provisions and how approaches to them are changing.
On this episode of the Pittsburgh Technology Council Emerging Tech Podcast Series, Babst Calland’s Justine Kasznica and Ashleigh Krick, Esq.
talk about the latest investment trend in energy as reported from the 2021 Babst Calland Energy Report. They discuss how public, government funding is driving investment in emerging energy technologies like energy storage and hydrogen. The will also detail how VC and private equity investments are at a record high and what’s driving the growth. …
A Recent Conversation with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin Featured in this Report
Babst Calland published its 11th annual energy industry report: The 2021 Babst Calland Report – Legal & Regulatory Perspectives for the U.S. Energy Industry. Each of our nation’s energy sectors is impacted by local, state and federal policies, many of which are addressed in this inclusive report on legal and regulatory developments for the energy industry in the United States. …
Recent high-profile cybersecurity breaches have highlighted how vulnerable even the largest businesses are to disruption. But even the smallest of businesses face risks, says Ashleigh Krick.
“Organizations may think they are not at risk and do not have valuable information, but they should think again,” says Krick, an associate at Babst Calland. “It does not matter what information you have when a hacker just wants money. …
If you’re considering selling your innovative product or commercializing your novel processes in another country, protecting your innovations with a patent in that country may be key to your success. But trying to navigate the process alone can prove difficult.
“It’s surprising how complicated it can be, and there are a lot of places to get tripped up,” says Carl Ronald, shareholder at Babst Calland. “While you can try to do it on your own, hiring a patent attorney can make the process much smoother, ensuring you are including all relevant information and complying with all relevant deadlines to protect your invention in the most cost-effective way possible.”